Tahrir Square: A Geopolitical Paradigm of the People's Revolution

Abstract

Tahrir Square:A Geopolitical Paradigm of the People's Revolution Farah Ali (bio) Introduction Geopolitics analyzes the relations between the interests of international political actors and interest within an area, a space, or a geopolitical element. In the geopolitical context, a place is not merely an area with no definition. A place is defined by its multifaceted political milestones.1 An example that occurred in Egypt is the revolution of January 25, which ended the 30-year rule of President Hosni Mubarak. Ever since, the revolution's location, Tahrir Square, became a symbol of liberation (which is the meaning of its name) and insurgency. It became so much so that the revolution of June 30, which occurred only two years later and intended to overthrow the Muslim Brotherhood's regime, also took place in Tahrir Square. This article will focus on the events leading up to the 2011 revolution, and how the geopolitical definition of Tahrir Square was formed in terms of its symbolic meaning to the people and the vitality of public space to political reform or transformation. Origins of Tahrir Square Tahrir Square's original name was Ismailiyah Square, as it was initiated by Khedive Ismail as part of modernizing Cairo. Years later, an incident caused an uproar in Ismailiyah Square; British soldiers opened fire at Egyptian rebels who were protesting the United Kingdom's presence in Egypt. This [End Page 110] occurrence resulted in the death of 24 Egyptians on February 11, 1946. This day is incidentally the same one on which President Mubarak was overthrown, only 64 years later. After the Free Officers Movement changed Egypt from a kingdom to a republic, President Gamal Abdul Nasser declared that Ismailiyah Square's name would officially be changed to one that fits its liberating essence, Tahrir Square.2 January 25th: A Revolution Thousands of Egyptians gathered in Cairo's urban hub, Tahrir Square, to rebel against the Mubarak regime. The revolution's spark was triggered by the repercussions of Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian fruit-seller, setting himself on fire as a form of protest against the Tunisian government on December 17, 2010. Approximately three weeks later, the Egyptians chose to gather in Cairo's biggest square, shouting slogans that demanded Mubarak to step down.3 The Egyptian people were triggered by the Tunisian revolt but had their own resentments toward their government. Factors such as unemployment, high levels of corruption, poverty, and police brutality accumulated over the years of Mubarak's rule. One of the most striking examples of police brutality that caused national unrest was the case of Khaled Said, a 28-year-old businessman who was beaten to death inside an internet café by members of the police force. The police claimed that Said's death occurred because of him swallowing a pouch of marijuana.4 However, a gruesome photo of Said's battered body in the morgue proved that the police's claims were false. The truth was revealed when a video posted by Said on his Facebook profile showed footage of police officers distributing seized drugs and money between themselves.5 With that, a viral uproar sparked on social media leading up to hundreds of thousands of Egyptians voicing their support for Khaled Said and others that suffered from the dictatorial regime. A particular Facebook page created by Wael Ghoneim, a then-Google Market Executive, was quickly "liked" by a huge number of Egyptian users. The page's name, "We Are All Khaled Said," along with its revolution-inducing posts caused people's anger at the [End Page 111] regime to increase. The buildup eventually resulted in an outrage that was initiated on January 25. According to Egyptian tradition, January 25 is the official national holiday that honors their police forces. However, the people viewed the date as an opportunity to mobilize against the police and the authoritarian state. Global media, specifically Western media, emphasized the role that social media played in initiating the revolution rather than emphasizing that an actual revolution was taking place in the streets of Egypt.6 The true essence of the revolution was situated in Tahrir Square, where colloquial slogans demanding "bread, freedom, social equality" and an "[…] overthrow...